Zoom In
by indiebrianna
Summary: PreRent in High school days. MaureenMark, RogerApril. Mark tries to catch Maureen's attention. Drug reference.
1. Pookie?

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rent, just this story I wrote. And as much as I would like to take credit it belongs to Jonathon Larson. Also, please do not hurt me if this fanfic isn't the best, because it is my first. Reviews make me happy. You want me to be happy, don't you?

Mark sighed and rubbed his eyes, sitting up in his sleeping bag. To the right side of him was Roger, and to the left was Maureen. They were in a large living room with a tall ceiling in Maureen's giant house. Mark yawned and looked at his watch that was lying beside his glasses. It read 10:48AM. "How can they sleep so long?" Mark muttered, looking around at the half-dozen sleeping people around the room. Mark picked up his duffel and stepped into the bathroom to change. In the duffel bag on top of Mark's clothes laid a brightly wrapped parcel that held a card that read "To: Maureen From: "That kid with the glasses" Mark smiled. Hope she likes it. He thought, wrapping his favorite white and blue scarf around his neck. When he stepped out of the bathroom Mrs. Johnson was busy waking up her daughter's guests.

"Oh, hi Marky!" She said, glad the "good kid" was up, at least "Would you mind helping me wake these guys up?" Mark nodded and crouched over Maureen.

"Maure-en." Mark said lightly shaking Maureen's arm. "If you don't wake up I'll make Roger kiss you!" _Or I'll kiss you..._ Mark thought. Mark smirked as Maureen woke and glared at him.

"Mark! THAT IS SOO GROSS!" She screeched. Roger woke, and looked at Maureen sharply.

"Whoa, what's with the screeching?" Roger complained.

"The kid in glasses here decided to wake me up!" Maureen said, pouting. Roger rolled his eyes at Maureen's nickname for Mark.

Once everyone was awake it was time for waffles. The waffles were wolfed down almost immediately, and then it was time for presents. Mark pulled out his father's old camera to film the whole procedure, and laughed each time Maureen squealed at a present. Finally, it was Mark's turn, and he begrudgingly let Roger film.

"Jeez, for a moment there, Marky, I thought you'd forgotten to get me a present!" Maureen teased, displaying her red and black braces with a smile.

"Never," Mark replied, handing Maureen the present. She tore off the wrapping paper Mark had spent so many minutes on in a matter of 3 seconds, and haphazardly threw the card aside. Inside the box lay the most beautiful sparkling, dangly, black earrings Maureen had ever seen. Maureen was speechless. Mark just smiled.

"Don't forgot to read the card," Mark mentioned quietly. Maureen ignored this and wrapped her arms around Mark's neck.

"Thank you, Mark! They're so pretty!!!" she squealed, then kissed Mark on the cheek. Mark's heart sped up to what seemed like a million beats per second, as his face reddened past beet red.

"Y-you're welcome." He was able to splutter out. _Please don't forget the card_, Mark thought. The card was important, to say the least, and if Maureen didn't read it, Mark probably wouldn't be brave enough to write it again.

Maureen sat on her bed after the party and sighed.

"What a long day," she thought out loud. Maureen began to go to sleep but remembered what Mark had said before she hugged him. "Don't forget to read the card," Maureen grinned and found the only card she'd received out of the pile of her presents and began to read it.

"Maureen," It read. "Happy Birthday. Hope 16 isn't as boring as 15 was. Joking! Please, for all our sakes, stay OFF the roads. Love, Mark.

P.S. I think this is the appropriate time to say this... well, write it, anyways. Here goes: I love you, Maureen. As more than just friends. I have for a while now. Call me?" Maureen almost fell off her bed.

"IS HE SERIOUS???" She shrieked.

"Is who serious, dear?" Mrs. Johnson yelled up the stairs.

"Nobody, mom!" Maureen called downstairs.

"Well, go to sleep honey! Not all of us are as keen on loud noises as sixteen year olds are!" Her mother called back. Maureen rolled her eyes, turned off her lamp and fell asleep.

Mark sat in his room with his projector watching Maureen's party again. Mark suddenly paused it and used the zoom in feature to catch a look in Maureen's eyes as she looked at the camera. Mark grinned. _She must've liked being on camera a lot. Or that look was for…me? No. It was the camera. For sure!_ Mark thought, blushing. He pressed play again almost right at the same time as the phone rang. Mark sighed and turned off the player and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mark? It's Maureen. Listen, I read the card…"

"Y-you did?"

"Yes. And... Mark?"

"Yeah?" Mark replied, warily.

"Well…meet me by my locker tomorrow and we'll talk, ok?" Mark said nothing. "Mark?"

"Yes, Maureen, I'll meet you there," Mark replied, fearing the worst

"Ok, thanks. Bye Poo—Mark."

"Bye Maureen." Mark hung up. _What the hell? What could "poo" possibly mean? "Poork"? No, she's a vegetarian. And who says "pork" like that? "Poop"? Just no. "Poor soul"? No way. Maureen couldn't be __that__ cruel, could she? "Pookie"? Maybe, but what the hell does "pookie" mean? One of Maureen's new words? Maybe she forgot my name for a minute there... Whatever. I'm going to sleep. Maureen... No. Sleep. Stop. Thinking. About. Maureen._ And at that, Mark fell asleep.

"Zoom in on Roger walking to school!" Mark said in a sing-song voice, filming Roger.

"Would you stop that?" Roger said, looking around, most likely for April, his new obsession.

"Looking for April?"

"Yup," Roger replied, still looking.

"Dude, she's right behind you." Mark said, rolling his eyes. April pounced and grabbed Roger's hand.

"Way to ruin a sneak attack, loser," this was directed to Mark. Mark and April weren't exactly BFFs. "Hey babe!" this was to Roger. "Wanna see something neat? C'mon!" April said exuberantly, pulling Roger away from his best friend.

"See ya," Mark sighed, waving half-heartedly. Roger nodded. "After school?" Mark called.

"Maybe." Roger said, following April. "What is it?" he asked April, once they were out of Mark's earshot.

"Well, I've been thinking about it for a while, and I finally decided to do it!" April said pulling out what looked like a bag of sugar. "I bought crack!"

"You... bought crack?" Roger looked skeptical. _She's gotta be kidding!_ He thought.

"Oh, come ON, Roger, don't be such a square! Everyone's doing it! You know you want to..." She wiggled the bag at him.

"Isn't it like... addictive? And bad for you?"

"What are you, my mother?" April cried, exasperated. Roger sighed and crossed his arms.

"April, I've already got one addiction," he said, pulling her into him and nuzzling her neck.

"Roger. Don't be cute." April said, starting to get angry.

"Maybe later. We've got class, first."

"We can skip!"

"Not today, April. One more truancy, and I'm suspended." April pouted, but shoved the baggie into her coat pocket. Roger grabbed her hand and the two began to walk to class.

As Mark walked alone through the hallways to Maureen's locker, he got began to et really nervous. _I hope she won't be mean when she turns me down... I never should have given her that note... What if we do date, and she dumps me for a girl?... Maybe I should have asked her in person..._

"Hi Mark," Maureen said, interrupting Mark's thoughts.

"M-maureen, hi, w-what's up?" Mark stuttered, flustered. Maureen wrapped her arms around Mark's neck for the second time that week.

"I do too," Maureen whispered into Mark's ear

"You 'do too' what?" Mark asked, pulling away from the hug. Maureen giggled and pulled him back.

"Love you." Maureen whispered. Mark looked flabbergasted.

"Y-you l-love...me?"

"Mm-hmm. I love you, Mark."

"Wait a second." Mark said, pulling out his camera.

"Oh, Mark, no!" Maureen groaned. Mark had his camera aimed and ready

"Ok, say it again, I'm zooming in on you." Maureen rolled her eyes.

"I love you, you big doofus, now put that camera DOWN!!!" she said, pushing Mark's filming hand down. Mark put the camera back in his bag right before he would have dropped it. Maureen kissed him._ Aaack, can't function…first kiss…so confused. Oh, well. I guess Maureen knows what to do._


	2. Finally

A FEW WEEKS LATER...

Mark and Maureen walked down the halls of Manhattan High School of the Performing Arts together, holding hands. Mark looked down, like he did every day, to check that he's wearing pants. He was. Then, he pinched himself for good measure. Nope, still not dreaming. Mark sighed a sigh of relief.

"What is it, Pookie?" Maureen said, tilting her head.

"Oh, nothing, Moo." Mark said, considering stopping to kiss Maureen, but chickening out at the last second. Good thing, too, because April chose that moment to come and ruin Mark's day.

"Aww, aren't you two just too cute!" April had been surprisingly chummy with Mark lately, but Mark suspected it was mostly because he was dating Maureen. Wait, scratch that, it was only because he was dating Maureen. Mimi stood at April's side and nodded in agreement. Mimi was April's new friend. Mimi was a bit chubby and unpopular, but had suddenly become a bit more popular by hanging out with April. The weird thing was, April only hung out with other "park kids" (kids who skipped class to hang out in the park by MSPA and do drugs) but neither Mimi or Maureen seemed the type to do drugs. Then again, who knows? Mark sure didn't. Obviously.

"Omigod, hey April! ...and...uh..." Maureen searched for Mimi's name to no avail.

"Mimi! My name is Mimi!" Mimi, piped up, blushing. Maureen gave her a disapproving look, but nodded.

"Uh-huh..."

"Maureen, Mimi is my new friend." said April, granting Mimi automatic acceptance.

"Oh, hey, Mimi! Welcome to em-spa **(a/n: MSPA)**!" Maureen said, enthusiastically.

"Uhm... I've been going here since last year... in the dance program..."

"Uh-huh, sure you have, hun." April said, dragging Mimi along. "Now let's leave these lovebirds to their... what exactly are you two doing?"

"Nothing, really," Maureen said, at the same time Mark said,

"Talking."

"Oh-kay..." April said, with a laugh. "Meet me in the park for lunch and leave this lose- fine gentleman behind, okay?" Maureen nodded, and April strutted off with Mimi in tow.

"So, I guess it's ok if I eat lunch with Roger today, then, huh?" Maureen giggled, but then was silent. "What's wrong?" Mark asked Maureen, nervously. Maureen shrugged. "Because you said we weren't doing anything, but we were talking and-" Maureen cut him off.

"You won't kiss me!" she accused.

"Well, I..." Mark started, but couldn't find the words.

"Hmph. I guess I'll just have to find someone else to-",

"NO!" Mark interrupted her. "I will, I promise!"

"When?" Maureen demanded, crossing her arms.

"Uh..."

"Now?"

"Uhm, sure..." Mark wrapped his arms around Maureen's waist, and leaned in for a kiss, but just then, the five minute bell rang. "Oh! I'll be late! I have to go! Here's your class, have fun, and... um, I'll see you at lun- no, after school! Love you, bye." Mark kissed Maureen on the cheek and ran off to his class. _Well... _Maureen thought. _At least he kissed me on the cheek._

Roger sat at a concrete picnic table in The Park, waiting for April. He checked his studded watch. 30 minutes late. She probably had to stop to talk to everyone in the fucking hall.

Finally, April flounced up with her chubby new friend in tow, looking nervous.

"Roger, honey, this is Mimi." April said, sitting in Roger's lap and gesturing in Mimi's general direction. Mimi half waved, blushing. She had a HUGE crush on Roger, but she knew he was dating April already. She was willing to try anything to get close to him, so drugs it was.

"Great, hi Mimi. Now, will you kindly re-introduce me to your friends hypodermic needle and bag 'o' coke?" Roger asked impatiently. April rolled her eyes. Mimi looked down at her boots, holding back tears. What a hello! 'Yeah, hi, whatever, fat chick, where are my drugs? Mimi lifted her head back up and smiled.

"No, way, I get first dibs, it's my first time." Mimi was hoping for a witty or even flirty response from Roger, like "Oh, a virgin, eh?" or maybe, "No, I don't want your newbie cooties on it." but got only a grunt or something that sounded vaguely like "Whatever." April passed Mimi the elastic, the baggie and the needle, and helped Mimi get set up. Then, Mimi closed her eyes and braced for impact.

The next day was Saturday, and Mark had a date with Maureen. He was standing in front of the full-length mirror in his sister's closet (he didn't have a full-length mirror of his own) his sister, Marie, had bought Mark several new outfits and laid them out for him (she had kept the receipts, of course. After trying them all on a few times, he finally decided on a white collared shirt with a black button-up vest and black pants with his old black converse.

"See ya, Marie, Mom, Dad! Thanks for the clothes, Marie!" Mark called, leaving the house. Mark got on his bike and rode to the Life Café.

When Mark got there, Maureen had already ordered a chai tea, and was sitting, waiting. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder red shirt and clean jeans, which was dressing up for Maureen.

"You're late." Maureen said, acidly.

"I... I'm not!" Mark checked his watch. "It's 10!"

"No... it's 11. Daylight savings time, douchebag!" Mark winced.

"I'm sorry, Moo..." he leaned in to kiss Maureen's cheek, but she pushed him away.

"Whatever, Mark." Maureen went back to her tea.

"Maureen, I'm sorry! I was sure there was no daylight savings time yet and my sister said--" Mark felt pain on his cheek, and it took him a moment to register what had happened.

"You slapped-" he began.

"It's not really 11." Maureen said with an eyeroll. "I lied. I came here early, to see how you would reply,You stuttered, you apologized, you referenced your sister, you immediately believed what I said!" Maureen said, counting on her fingers. "You can't even stand up for yourself! Where's the brave Mark I started going out with???"

"There never was one." Mark mumbled.

"What?" Maureen demanded.

"I never was brave. I had to write down my feelings for you! But I will be brave now, Maureen. I will. Starting right," Mark pushed the tea cup aside and leaned across the table to Maureen. "Now." Mark kissed Maureen. Except he missed, and fell across the table, and onto the ground. Maureen remained sitting, with her eyes closed, awaiting the kiss which never came. As she opened her eyes, she said

"I knew you were all talk, coward. April was ri- Hey! Where did you go?!" By that time, Mark was already out of the Café, and running. Mark tripped over his untied laces and fell flat on his face before he had even reached the parking lot. _I am such a klutz!_ He thought angrily. _I don't know how I ever got a girl like Maureen, and now I've lost her, all because I couldn't kiss her!_

Maureen ran out of the Life Café, and found Mark lying face down on the ground.

"Aww, sweetie!" she cried, going to him. "Are you okay?" Mark flipped over and sat up, wiping his face with his sleeve.

"I'm fine. Sorry." He stood, brushed himself off, and began to walk away again, keeping up his image of tough, composed Mark, to keep away from sad, embarrassed Mark.

"Wait!" Maureen cried. Mark turned. "I'm sorry about what I said, Mark! So sorry. Forgive me?" Mark's face broke into a smile as he walked towards Maureen.

"Of course," he murmured, pulling Maureen close to him. "I love you, moo." Mark put his hand on Maureen's cheek and pulled her face to his and kissed her. Finally.


End file.
